LDC launches new high-oil seed milling line in Argentina
The expansion at Timbúes reinforces Argentina’s role in LDC’s oilseed and renewable energy value chains, while aligning processing infrastructure with emerging crop systems and market demand.
ARGENTINA – Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC), a global merchant and processor of agricultural commodities, has started operations of a new specialized milling line at its Timbúes agro-industrial complex in Santa Fe province, Argentina, strengthening its strategy around product diversification and regenerative agriculture through rotational crops.
In a Jan. 29 announcement, the company said the new line adds capacity for processing a wider range of high-oil content seeds, including camelina, carinata, canola and sunflower.
This complements the complex’s existing soybean crushing operations and allows for more efficient year-round use of the facility, depending on the seasonal availability of different crops.
The Timbúes plant, located on the Paraná River north of Rosario, can now process up to 3,000 additional tonnes of alternative oilseeds per day during off-peak seasons.
This will alternate with its usual milling capacity of 7,000 tonnes of soybeans per day during the main harvest period.
According to LDC, the investment includes five specialized presses, a rotary cooker, three vertical cookers, two impurity separators and two decanters, all designed to ensure efficient processing of high-oil seeds.
“The addition of these new processing capabilities in Timbúes not only improves the operational efficiency of the complex throughout the year, but also allows us to more efficiently integrate a wider range of crops into our regional operation, strengthening a more flexible and diversified offering for both domestic and international market customers,” said Fernando Correa, regional head of Oilseeds for Southern and Western Latin America for LDC.
The output from the new milling line will serve both the feed and energy markets.
LDC said the resulting meal will be used for animal feed, while the oil will be directed toward the production of advanced biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO).
These fuels are increasingly sought by energy and transport companies aiming to meet decarbonisation targets.
The company noted that the additional processing capacity will help reduce the gap between supply and demand, supporting customers in meeting their energy transition commitments.
Beyond processing flexibility, the investment is closely linked to LDC’s regenerative agriculture agenda.
The company promotes the integration of cover crops into crop rotation schemes, with a particular focus on brassicas such as camelina.
Camelina cultivation has expanded steadily in Argentina and the wider region, driven by demand for low-carbon feedstocks and agronomic benefits such as soil cover, improved rotation diversity and efficient use of fallow periods.
Since 2023, LDC has been advancing camelina development through its camelina program in partnership with Camelina Co. (Argentina), part of the Grapevine Energy group, formerly Global Clean Energy.
The alliance is focused on expanding camelina cultivation across South America over the next decade, linking growers to offtake opportunities in feed and biofuels.
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